# Animation Layers/Strips Use Cases

This is a list of expected *common* use cases for animation layers and animation strips.

:::info
Note: this does not cover the "takes" system part of layers, which will be evaluated separately. It also does not cover features that aren't part of the current development schedule, such as simulation layers, constraint strips, etc.
:::

## Traditional Animation

In general, the expectation is that more traditional animation workflows may use animation layers, but are unlikely to use strips very often.

- Organize different character/rig parts on different layers.
- Restrict keys for certain things to go into a specific layer.
- Make adjustment layers that are quickly merged down.
- Layer merging that doesn't bake everything to have a key for every frame (a.k.a. "smart baking").
- Adjust someone else's animation with an adjustment layer.

## Motion Capture

Motion capture workflows are expected to use both layers and strips heavily in various different workflows.

- Non-destructive cleanup workflow via layers. Examples:
- Apply a local smoothing operation that's stored as a "diff" layer above the original mocap layer.
- Make fixes due to character proportion mismatches.
- Combine mocap clips into a sequence.
- Blend between clips.
- Combine e.g. the body animation of one take with the facial animation of another.

## Game Animation

Game animation has a lot of overlap with traditional animation, but with the additional challenge of creating animations that are supposed to transition cleanly between each other in game, and also be layered on top of each other in game (e.g. lower body of one animation + upper body of another). Instanced strips could be a powerful tool for helping to verify those transitions and layering.

- Build up animation libraries.
- Make animation loops (e.g. run/walk/idle cycles).
- Preview how different animations in a library transition into each other.
- And make adjustments live in that preview.
- Preview the combination of e.g. the lower body of a run cycle + the upper body of aiming a weapon.
- And make adjustments live in that preview.

## Quick n' Dirty Animation

For example, a budget TV show.

- Build up animations quickly from a pre-built animation library.
- Animate on top of those built-up animations (e.g. different facial animation for lip sync).

## Layout / Previs

- Control things in the large via layers.
- How much over-all camera shake there is.
- How much over-all tree sway there is in the wind.
- How big the waves are.